Spring plank for railway car trucks



April 1953 c. P. LEESE SPRING PLANK FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1945 April 21, 1953 c. P. LEESE SPRING PLANK FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1945 lll t l -a:

Z4! f J /aj-,' afar/66 fe eae April 21, 1953 c. P. LEESE SPRING PLANK FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed Sept. 14, 1945 7 I- 1 j I/IIIIIIIIIIIII/l 'IIIIIIIIIIIII WIIIA Patented Apr. 21, 1953 SPRING PLAN K FOR- RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Charles P. Leese, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard Car Truck Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 14, 1945, Serial No. 616,238

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a railway car truck comprising side frames at opposite sides of the truck between which a bolster is supported.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved tie-brace for connecting the oppositely disposed sides frames so as to permit free vertical movement of one of said frames with respect to the other frame, but which will limit said side frames to a very small movement longitudinally of the car with respect to each other.

For accomplishing the above and other incidental objects, the invention includes a tiebrace member in the form of a heavy channel connected at its ends with the lower chord portions of the side frames. The preferred form of connecting means at each end of the tie-brace comprises a narrow bearing memberwhich extends across the bottom face of the tie-brace and is adapted to fit fairly closely within an elongated socket formed in an adjacent side frame of the truck. The invention includes improved arrangement of means for removably securing the tie-brace in position and provision whereby the bearing members of the tie-brace are pressed yieldingly into engagement with the sockets. According to one embodiment of the means for removably securing the tie-brace in its operative position includes the use of removable plates or brackets adapted in their operative position to limit the vertical movement of the tie-brace with respect to the side frames. It is therefore an object of the invention to so arrange said removable plate members so as to simplify the disconnection of the tie-brace from the side frame at either one or both of its ends. According to another embodiment of the means for removably securing the tie-brace in position, the lower chord of each truck side frame is provided with a frame overlying an adjacent end of the brace, a bolt formed with a shoulder thereon for limiting upward movement of the tie-brace relative to the side frame extending through said flange and an end portion of the tie-brace. A spring surrounds the bolt and exerts resilient pressure on the tie-brace to hold it in its proper position. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from'the detailed description of the structures shown in the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing a bolster connected at opposite ends with side frames at opposite sides of a truck and showing my improved tie-brace extending across underneath: the bolster, with parts of the structure broken away and other parts shown in section for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of one end portion of my improved tie-brace and the associated parts, being substantially a horizontal sectional view taken on a considerably enlarged scale at the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views taken substantially at the lines 3-3 of Fig. l and 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig.' 5 is a top plan view of the removable bracket as shown in Fig. 2, but upon a substantially enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is an edge face view of the said bracket as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower portion of a pair of truck side frames and a modified form of tie-brace connected'to said frames.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view illustrating in plan a portion of the tie-brace shown in Fig. 6 and its connection to the lower portion of the truck side frame.

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on line !l9 of Fig. 8 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line lt-H] of Fig. 8 and illustrating on a larger scale the connection of the tie-brace member with the lower portion of one of the truck side frames.

The improved tie-braces are shown herein in connection with side frames and bolster constructions similar to those shown in my application, Serial No. 439,121, filed May 31, 1943, now Patent No. 2,412,689. This showing, however, is merely for convenience of illustration and is not a limitation on the use of the present invention.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, 2. bolster I0 of any approvedtype is movably supported in central openings of the truck side frames. The specific supports herein shown include removably-mounted bearing members H which are provided on their lower faces with curved notches or grooves l2 adapted to engage the upper edges of keys l3 removably mounted in looped end portions [4 of yoke-shaped swing hangers H5. The hangers l5 are swingingly mounted in position by engagement with grooved top chord portions 16 of the side frames ll of the truck, hardened wear plates l8 being interposed between the grooves and the hangers, with lugs [9 carried by the plates l8 engaging openings in the top chord portions of the frames.

The side frames ll of the truck comprise tubular bottom chord portions 20, to the inner faces of which my improved tie-brace 2i is secured, such tie-brace being in the form of a heavy channel 2 I. On the inner face of each of the bottom chord portions 29 of the side frames, there is an inward extension 22 in the form of a heavy shelf hollowed out on its top face to provide a comparatively long narrow socket 23 opening upwardly. The sockets receive bearing meinb rs 2% in the form of cleats or plates secured to the bottom face of the tie-brace at opposite ends thereof by means of a plurality of rivets In the arrangement shown (see Fig. 3), the lower head portions of the rivets 25 engage openings 26 in the extension shelves 22 so as to assist in holding the cleats 2d and the connected tie-brace from any extended movement horizontally with respect to the sockets 23.

At each of its end portions, the tie-brace is provided with a removable bracket 2'5. rhese brackets are provided with lugs 28 in the form of hooks which extend through openings 29 in the inner faces of the bottom chord portions of the side frames. Such bracket members 2? are connected with the tie-brace by means of bolts 39 extending through openings 3! in the slide plate members and through suitable openings in the tie-brace, the cleats 24, and the associated shelf 22 of a side frame. Pressure is exerted downwardly on the tie-brace by means of coiled springs interposed between the removable bracket members and the tie-brace 2!. The bracket members 2's are provided with lugs 33 thereon in position to en gage the heads of the bolts 32 for holding bolts from rotation, and the nuts 3% are locked in tightened position against suitable shoulders on the bolts by means of cotter pins The arrangement is such that when the cleats 24 are centered in their associated sockets 23, the hooks 28 of the brackets 2'! are in position to engage the wall portions immediately below the openings 29 and the lower edges of vertically disposed portions of said brackets El engaging shoulders at 36 (Fig. 4) for limiting the downward movement of said brackets 2?, the said brackets being held in such lowered position by the bolts St. The springs 32 are normally held under compression so as to cause them to press downwardly on the tie-brace 2 i, such tie-brace heir-g free to move upwardly to a limited extent with respect to the bracket 2'? at either side of the truck by reason of a limited amount of clearance at El between the tie-brace and the lower edge portion of the removable bracket 2?.

Whenever it is desired to disconnect the tiebrace from the side frame, the bolt is can be quickly and easily removed so as to permit the bracket 21 to be lifted for disengaging the hooks 28 from the side frame, after which the cleat 2% can be moved upwardly out of engagement with the socket 23.

Referring now to the modified embodiment disclosed in Figs. 7 to inclusive of the drawings: The lower chord a of each of the truck side frames Ila is formed with a lateral inwardly extending flange 22a which may be substantially the same as the lateral inwardly extending flange 22 of the previously described embodiment. The said lower chord of the side frame member is also provided With a second inwardly extending flange 38 which is spaced vertically from the flange 22a and functions in connection with the locking 4 means hereinafter described. The lower flange 22a is formed with a recess 23a to receive a bearing member E la secured to one end of the tiebrace am. The tie-brace 2 la. is preferably in the form of a channel bar to which cleats designated Eda are secured to opposite ends thereof and adapted to fit within the recess of the flange 22a to provide an interlocking connection between tne tie-brace and the side frame. The cleats Z ta extend the full width of the channel member so as to provide connections between the tie-brace and the side frames of sufficient length to prevent transverse skewing of the side frames or any substantial lengthwise movement of one side frame relative to the other. However, there is sufficient clearance between the cleats 24a, and the walls of the cleat receiving recess 23a to permit suincient flexibility to allo v the side frames to move vertically relative to each other and at the same time prevent objectionable tilting, skewing, or other movements of the truck side frames which would interfere with the proper operation of the moving parts of the truck. the modified embodirnents of the tiebrace shown herein, the cleats 25a are secured to the channel member by means of rivets E la and welds Each end of the tie-brace is secured in position by means of a bolt ii: which extends through an opening 42 in the upper flange 38 of a truck side frame, and through coinciding openings 45 and as formed in the tic-brace the flange 22a, respectively. The lower portion id of the bolt at is reduced in diameter so as to provide a shoulder it which normally extends a slight distance above the top surface of the tie-brace 2 la so to permit slight vertical movements of the tie-brace relative to the side frame ila. A coil spring dl surrounds the belt at and is interposed between the top surface of the tie-brace 2 la and the bottom surface of the inwardly extending flange so as to exert resilient pressure against the tie-brace and thereby hold the cleat Eda thereof in proper position in its cooperating recess 25m. A nut it is threaded on the lower end of the bolt and is locked thereon against the bottom of flange by means of a cotter key 69.

By the use of my improved construction comprising the tie-brace 2i and the novel means for connecting it to the side frames, such side frames at opposite sides of the truck are held effectively from moving to any substantial extent longitudinally of the truck with respect to each other, the cleats 2d2 (la being adapted to have only limited angular movement horizontally with respect to the sockets 23-23a in which they are mounted. At the same time, the tie-braces are free to move through a substantial angle vertically so as to permit either of the side frames to move upwardly or downwardly through a fairly wide range with respect to the other side frame, such movement bein effected against the action of the springs 32 or 1?, as the case may be. When, however, either tie-brace herein shown is to be disconnected from a side frame, it can be done easily quickly. The tie-brace shown in l to 6 may be disconnected by the removal of the bolt 39 for permitting the plate 2? to be lifted out of operative position. The embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, may be disconnected from the side frames of the truck, by removing bolt 49 and spring All so that the cleat end of the tie-brace can be readily lifted out of recess 23a.

While the form and arrangement of parts of the improved tie-brace as shown in the drawings and as above described arepreferred, the invention is not to be limited to such construction except so far as the claims maybeso limited, it being understood that changes might well be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without ment with said springs, lugs on said brackets in the form of hooks extending through openings in vertical wall portions of the side frames and having releasable interlocking engagement with said wall portions, and adjustable means engaging the brackets and portions of the side frames for drawing said brackets downwardly and for compressing said springs so as to hold said downwardly extending cleats yieldingly in their lowered positions in effective engagement with said sockets.

2. In a truck, the combination of side frames at opposite sides of the truck, a tie-brace extending across the truck, downwardly extending cleats on the bottom face of said tie-brace at its end portions, compression springs seated on the end portions of the tie-brace, removable brackets movable vertically on said side frames in engagement with said springs, lugs on said brackets in the form of hooks extending through openings in vertical wall portions of the side frames and having releasable interlocking engagement with said wall portions, and bolts passing downwardly through suitable openings in said brackets, said tie-brace, and having clamping engagement with said brackets and portions of said side frames, for drawing said brackets downwardly into tightened pressure relationship to said springs for holding said downwardly extending cleats in their lowered positions in engagement with said sockets.

3. In a truck, the combination of side frames at opposite sides of the truck, a tie-brace extending across the truck, downwardly extending cleats on the bottom face of said tie-brace at its end portions, supporting means formed on the inboard sides of the side frames for supporting the tiebrace formed with sockets for receiving said cleats, compression springs seated on the end portions of the tie-brace, removable brackets movable vertically on said side frames in engagement with said springs, lugs on said brackets in the form of hooks extending through openings in vertical wall portions of the side frames and having releasable interlocking engagement with said wall portions, and bolts passing downwardly through suitable openings in said brackets, said tie-brace, and portions of said side frames and having clamping engagement with said brackets and portions of the side frames for drawing, said brackets downwardly into fixed position with respect to said side frames and for applying pressure downwardly on said springs so as to hold said downwardly extending cleats in their lowered positions in effective engagement with said sockets.

4. In a railway car truck having removable side frames, each formed with a lower chord provided with a lateral inwardly extending flange,

means for connecting the side frames comprising tie-brace members extending from one frame to another and having detachable interlocking engagement with the lateral flanges of said side frames comprising cleats on the opposite ends of the tie-brace member adapted to seat in slots of substantial length formed in the said flanges which extend inwardly from the inner faces of the side frames, whereby the side frames are held from substantial angular movement transversely of the truck and from lengthwise movement relative to each other, and means for maintaining the tie-brace member in said interlocked engagement comprising bolts extending through the tie-brace and said lateral flange, and resilient means interposed between the tie-brace and a portion of a truck side frame for exerting pressure downwardly on the tie-brace member.

5. In a railway car truck having removable side frames, means for connecting the side frames comprising a tie-brace member extending from one frame to the other and having detachably interlocking engagements with the side frames comprising cleats on the opposite ends of the tie-brace member adapted to seat in slots of substantial length formed in the adjacent side frames and extending lengthwise of the frames, whereby the side framesare held from substantial angular movement transversely of the truck and from lengthwise movement relative to each other, and means for maintaining the tie-brace member in said interlocking engagement comprising bolts extending through spaced portions of said frames and the tie-brace member, the bolts having shoulders thereon and spaced upwardly from the tie-brace member for limiting the vertical movement of the tie-brace member, relative to said spaced portions of the flanges, and resilient means for exerting pressure downwardly on said tie-brace member.

6. In a railway car truck having removable side frames, each formed with vertically spaced inwardly extending flanges, the lower flange having a recess formed in its upper surface, means for connecting the side frames together with capacity for vertical movement of one frame relative to the other comprising a tie-brace membe formed at opposite ends with downwardly facing cleat members adapted to fit into said recesses formed in the lower flanges which extend inwardly from the side frames, and means for maintaining the tie-brace member in interlocked engagement with the said side frames comprising bolts extending through the lateral flanges of each side frame and the adjacent portion of the tie-brace member, the, bolts having shoulders thereon spaced upwardly from the tie-brace member for limiting the vertical movement of the tie-brace member, relative to the side frames, and resilient means interposed between the tiebrace member and the upper flanges which extend inwardly from the truck side frames and adapted to exert pressure downwardly on the tie-brace.

7. In a railway car truck, the combination of side frames at opposite sides of the truck, each being formed with a flange extending inwardly toward the center plane of the truck and formed in its upper face with a slot extending lengthwise of the frame, means for connecting the side frames together with capacity for limited vertical movement relative to each other comprising a tie-brace extending across the truck between the frames and provided at opposite ends with bearings adapted to seat in the slots formed in the said inwardly extending flanges of the frames and screw clamped means removably fixed to the frames and overlying portions of the tie-brace to limit vertical movement thereof relative to an adjacent side'frame, and resilient means for pressing the tie-brace in its operative position in said slots.

8. In combination with side frames at opposite sides of a railway car truck, a tie-brace extending across the truek'for attachment to the side frames, supporting means formed on the inboard side of each side framefor supporting an adjacent end of the tie-brace, and means for securing said tie-brace to each side frame with capacity for limited vertical movement of the tie-brace relative-to said supporting means, each securing means comprising an abutment element movable downwardly relative to the adjacent side frame into interlocking engagement therewith and provided with an abutment shoulder overlying a portion of the adjacent end of the tiebrace to prevent upward movement of the tiebrace beyond a predetermined limit, and restraining means engaging said abutment element and a portion of'said supporting means to prevent upward movement of the abutment element relative to the side frame.

9. A combination structure according to claim 8 characterized in that each said supporting means is provided in its upper face with a socket extending lengthwise of the supporting member and that cleats are secured to the bottom surface at the end portions of the tie-brace and fit into said sockets to provide an interlocking holding engagement with the side frames extending lengthwise thereof so'as to hold the side frames from substantial relative movements lengthwise of each other.

10. A railway car truck structure as defined in claim 8 characterized in that each said supporting means is provided in its upper face with a socket extending lengthwise of the supporting member and that cleats are secured to the bottom surface at the end portions of the tie-brace and fit into said sockets to provide an interlocking holding engagement with the side frames extending lengthwise thereof" so as to hold the side frames from substantial relative movements lengthwise of each other and further characterized in that the abutment shoulder securing means is spaced upwardly from the top face of the tie-brace a distance less than the vertical thicknessof the adjacent cleat.

11. A railway car truck structure as defined in claim 10 in which a compression spring is positioned to bear against the top surface of the tiebrace at either end thereof and the adjacent securing means maintains the spring in its applied position.

12. In combination with the side frames at of each opposite sides of a railway car truck, a tie-brace extending across the truck for attachment thereto, supporting means formed on the inboard side of each side frame and formed with a socket extending lengthwise of the side frame, means on each end portion of the tie-brace for fitting into said socket to form an interlocking holding engagement with capacity for limited upward movement without efiecting disengagement, and securing means for securing said tie-brace to each side frame for limited vertical movement, each securing means including a spring seated on the tie-brace, a bracket seated on the upper end of the spring and formed with an abutment portion overlying a portion of the tie-brace for preventing disengagement from said socket and formed also with a portion for embracing a portion of the side frame and movable vertical of the side frame into embracing interlocking engagement with a portion thereof, and a bolt engaging the bracket and said tie-brace support for forcing the said bracket downwardly into said interlocked engagement with said adjacent side frame and for compressing the said spring, whereby the spring exerts resilient pressure on the tie-brace to hold it engaged in said socket.

13. A combination structure as defined in claim 12 characterized in that the said socket is formed in the upper face of tie-brace supporting means and the means for fitting into said socket is in the form of a hearing which projects downwardly from the end portion of the tie-brace.

14. A combination structure as defined in claim 12 characterized in that the said socket is formed in the upper face of tie-brace supporting means and the means for fitting into said socket is in the form of a bearing which projects downwardly from the end portion of the tie-brace and further characterized in that the portion of each bracket which interlocks with a portion of the adjacent side frame is in the form of a hook and in that the adjacent portion of the side frame is formed with a shoulder for limiting the downward movement of the bracket, whereby the lower end of the bracket is spaced upwardly from the tiebrace a distance less than the thickness of the adjacent bearing which projects downwardly from the bottom of the tie-brace.

CHARLES P. LEESE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 869,652 Pulliam Oct. 29, 1907 2,130,141 Light Sept. 13, 1.938 2,402,502 Light June 18, 1946 2,465,965 Cottrell Mar. 29, 1949 2,484,783 Cottrell Oct. 11, 19% 

